Hopper car outlet construction



Aug. 23, 1966 G. B. DOREY HOPPER CAR OUTLET CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 8, 1958 INVENTOR. 660F965 39 Aug. 23, 1960 G. 5. 00km HOPPER CAR ovum consmucnou 4 Sheets Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 8, 1958 INVENTOR.

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r: My s an 0 g Q lilac-ll l ll Aug. 23, 1960 G. B. DOREY HOPPER CAR OUTLET CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 8, 1958 INVENTOR. 9

i .3 QQ ww HOPPER CAR OUTLET CONSTRUCTION George B. Dorey, Westmount, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment (Jompany, Chicago, EL, a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 3, 195s, Ser. No. 759,754

11 Claims. c1. sea-s2 This invention relates to an improved pneumatic discharge hopper car and is more specially adapted for employment in connection with so called covered hopper cars of the type having the conventional arrangement of gravity discharge openings and which are equipped with a movable closure for controlling gravity discharge of lading.

The objects of this invention, among others, are: To provide suction conduit means having both the air inlet and air and lading exit openings located in close proximity to each other at one end of the conduit system; to provide a two compartment conduit system in which an inlet duct extends in generally juxtaposed relation with an outlet duct from one end of a conduit and that opens into the exit duct adjacent the opposite end of the system for ejection of air and lading; to provide for interlocking the closures of the inlet and exit openings whereby these closures can be secured by a single seal; to provide a conduit system having a hood lying within a four sided hopper and extending from one of the sides of the hopper and wherein the marginal lower edges or caves of the hood are spaced from the remaining sides of the hopper to provide an entraining discharge area around the three sides of the hood; to provide an inverted V-shaped hood having a cross wise bafliing wall dividing the hood into upper and lower ducts to respectively provide inlet and outlet ducts; and to provide a conduit assembly which can be assembled into a self contained unit and readily applied to existing equipment.

This invention further resides in certain details of construction and arrangement of parts such as will be more fully described hereinafter.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein the improvement is shown as applied to a railway hopper car of the type above referred to.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view taken through the lower portion of a hopper car and showing approximately one half of the width thereof.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of the structure shown in Figure l, as viewed from left to right.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 2 with the hopper walls eliminated.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing the inlet closure in the open position.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 6-4 of Figure 2 and showing only the inlet and outlet ducts and a portion of the closure member for the air intake opening.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed in Figure 1 that the present invention is applied to a rail- Way hopper car with portions of the bar being indicated Patented Aug. 23, 1960 by a. center sill 10 and spaced outwardly therefrom byone side wall 11. Between the center sill 1t) and the side wall 11 there is a hopper which is indicated, generally at 12. It will be understood that two or more pairs of hoppers, such as the hopper 12, are located on opposite sides of the center sill 10. Since the construction for each hopper 12 is identical, only one is shown. The hopper 12 is formed by oppositely sloping floors 13 and 14 and outer and inner side walls 15 and 16. The floors 13 and 14 and side walls 15 and 16 are joined to form a rectangular discharge opening 17 through which lading in the hopper 12 can flow downwardly under the influence of gravity.

Surrounding the discharge opening 17 at the lower margins of the oppositely sloping floors 13 and 14 and side walls 15 and 16 is a frame which is indicated, generally, at 18. The frame 18 can be formed of cast steel or can be fabricated of rolled structural members. It is secured by riveting or welding to the lower margins of the oppositely sloping floors 13 and 14 and side walls 15 and 16. It will be observed that the frame 13 includes upper walls 19 and 20 which overlie the oppositely sloping floors 13 and 14. Also the frame 18 includes upper walls 21 and 22 which overlie the outer and inner side walls 15 and 16, respectively. Below the upper walls 19, 21 and 22 are lower walls 23, 25 and 26, respectively, which form a three sided enclosure for a sliding gate 27. In order to slidably support the gate 27 and hold it in the closed position where discharge of lading through the discharge opening 17 is prevented, ledges 29, 31 and 32 are provided which extend from the lower walls 23, 25 and 26, respectively. It will be understood that the gate 27 is slidably supported on ledges 31 and 32 at its sides and on ledge 29 at the leading end when the gate 27 is in the fully closed position as shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings.

Below the lower walls 23, 25 and 26 there is a chute like extension that is indicated, generally, at 33. Preferably the chute like extension 33 forms an integral part of the frame 18. It is made up of chute Walls 35, 36, 37 and 38 which underlie and are spaced downwardly from the upper walls 13, 29, 21 and 22, respectively.

It will be understood that a removable discharge chute (not shown) is arranged to be connected to the lower portion of the chute like extension 33 when the gate 27 is opened for gravity discharge. In order to hold such a removable chute in position flanges 39 are provided on and extend outwardly from the lower margin of the chute wall 35 as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and .4 of the draw ings. A groove 40 is formed in the lower margin of the opposite chute wall 36. In addition a flange 41 is provided on and extends outwardly from the lower margin of the chute wall 37 and a groove 42 is formed in the opposite chute wall 38. It will be understood that the grooves 4i? and 42 are provided for receiving an outwardly extending flange on the upper end of the removable chute and that the flanges 39 and 41 are arranged to have such flange clamped thereto.

As shown more clearly in Figure 4 of the drawings the upper wall 29 has an under surface 44 which forms the upper side of a slot 45 the lower side of which is formed by an upper surface 46 of the chute wall 36. It will be understood that the gate 27 is movable through the slot 45 between the upper wall 20 and the chute wall 36 between the open and the closed positions.

The frame 18, as shown in Figure 3, is provided on opposite sides with extension flanges 47 and 48 which project endwise from the walls 2137 and 2238, respectively, beyond the upper wall 20 and the sloping floor 14. Bearings 49 and 50 are carried by the extension flanges 47 and 48 for rotatably mounting an operating shaft 51.

7 3 Secured to the operating shaft 51 so as to rotate therewith are pinions 52. The pinions 52, as shown in Figure l, are spaced apart on the operating shaft 51 and are arranged to engage with rack teeth 53 which project. down 27 which extends through the slot 45 underneath the upper wall 20 of the frame 18 in the closed position so as to prevent opening movement. A sealing pin 58 is slidably through the sloping floor 14 of the hopper 12 with an air inlet duct 97 and an air and lading exhaust duct 98 which extend through the combination intake and exhaust section 73. As shown more clearly in Figure 6 of the drawings the ducts 97 and 98 are provided between side walls 99 and 100 which are joined at their lower portions by a bottom wall 101. i As shown in Figure 4, a

-; partition wall 102 extends part way through the combination intake and exhaust'se'ction '73 and is generally and rotatably mounted by a support 59, Figure 3. The. V

sealing pin 58 extends through a suitable opening in the latching dog 56 and through a key shaped openiug fi-ii in the extension flange 47 latched position. '7

In order to support the gate 27 in the open position to V which it is moved by rotation of the shaft 51, support rails 61 and 62 are provided. The support rails 61 and 62 preferably are rolled angle sections and have vertical flanges 63 and 64, respectively, which are secured by rivets 65 and 66 to the extension flanges47 and48, respectively. Horizontal flanges 67 and 68 extend inwardly from the vertical flanges 63 and 64 and the upper surfaces thereof are atthe same elevation as the upper surfaces of the ledges 31 and 32 so as to provide, in eifect, a continuation thereof. The sides of the gate 27 are thus supported for slidable movement on rotation of the operating shaft 51 when the gate 27 is moved between the closed and open position. 7

In order to adapt the hopper 12 for unloading pneu matically there is provided a'conduit assembly which is indicated, generally, at 71 and which comprises a hood shaped section 72 that is located within the hopper 12v and a combination intake and exhaust section, shown generally at 73, that is located outside of the hopper 12. It will be understood that the hood shaped section 72 and the combination intake and exhaust section 73 are joined together to form a unitary construction and are arranged to be secured to the sloping floor 14 and the'upper side of the upperwall in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The hood shaped section 72 is provided with outwardly sloping side walls 75' and 76 and an end wall 77. It will be observed that the side walls 75 and 76 are spaced in wardly fromthe side walls 1 5 and 16 of the hopper 12 and that the end wall 77' is similarly spaced from the slopingfloor 13. The lower edges or eaves 79, 80 and 81 of thezside walls 75 and 76 and end wall 77, respectively,

' are spaced slightly above the upper surface of the gate 27 when it is in the closed position as shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. Thereby openings 83, 84 and S5 to hold the latching dog 5 6 in the' are provided from the bottoms of side hopper sections 87 and 88 and end hopper section 89 into which the lower portion of the hopper 12 is divided by the hood shaped section 72.

Extending endwise through substantially the principal portion of the hood shaped section 72 is a baffle 90. As shown inFigure 5 it is welded at its longitudinal edges as indicated at 90' to the inner surfaces of the side walls 75 and76. The baffle'90 divides the interior of the hood shaped section 72 into an upper conduit section 9.1, which is triangular in cross section, and a, lower conduit section 9,2,which is trapezoidal in cross section. The upperand lower sections 91 and 92 are in communication through an opening 93 at the end of the baffle 90 which, isfspaced fronrthe inner surface of the end wall 77. v i

' The upper and lower conduit sections 91- and 92 within 7 side walls 99 and 100 define a rectangular intake opening that is arranged to beclosed by a closure member 111. The closure member 111 is providedwitharms 112 on opposite sides through which a'pin 113 extends. The pin 113 also extends through the sidewalls 99 and 100 and thus the closure member 111, is hingedly mounted above the air intake opening 110.

It is desirable that provision be made for variably positioning the closure member 111 in order to vary the effective area of the air intake opening 110. For this purpose a pawl 114 is pivoted at 115 to the under side of the closure member 111. The pawl 114 is providedwith a number of teeth 116 any one of which can bear against the upper edge. of the end'109 of the vertical section, 104 and, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings,-hold the closure member 111 in a corresponding position.

' The air and lading exhaust duct 98 terminates in a tubular nozzle 117 to which a suitable source, of suction (not shown) is arranged to be connected. The rectangular exhaust duct 98 communicates with the tubular nozzle 117 on sweeping ogee curvilinear lines as indicated at 118 in Figure 2, connecting to the bottomwall 101, and and at 119 and 120, Figure 3, connecting to the side walls 99 and 100. a e

The hood shaped section 72 and the combination intake and exhaust section 73 are preferably formed asseparate members and are united into a self contained assembly. A preferred construction, as indicated, is predicated on forming the combination intake and exhaust section 73 with a wall 121 which is arranged to underlie the sloping floor 14. The wall 121 is welded, as indicated in Figure l, at 122, 123, 124 and 125 to the under side of the sloping floor 14 and the upper side of the upper wall 20 of the frame 18. The wall 121 is provided with forwardly extending sloping flanges 126, Figure 4, which underlie the adjacent margins of the outwardly sloping side walls 75 and 76 of the hood shaped section 72 and to which they are welded so as to provide a unitary structure. The sections 72 and 73 are united in a self contained unit prior to application to operative position shown in Figure 4. To permit the application to the sloping floor 14, this floor is provided with a triangularshaped aperture 127 of sufiicient size to allow passage of the hood shaped section 72 therethrough. The margins of the juxtaposed ends of the side walls 75 and 76 are welded, as described hereinbefore, to the sloping flanges 125 which project inwardly from the wall 121 that is welded, as described, to the under side of vthe sloping floor 14. V a

At theother end of the hood shaped section 72 there is a gusset plate 129, Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, which is weldedv at 130 to the inner surface of the sloping floor 13 and is welded at 131 to the outer surface of the sloping end wall 77. It will be understood that the vertically extending gusset plate 129 intermediate the ends of the end hopper section 89 provides little interference with the downward flow of lading,

In order to close the outer end of the tubular nozzle 117, a cap 134 is provided and, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, it is arranged to be telescoped over the outer end of the tubular nozzle 117. The cap 134 is wedgingly held in the closed position by helical cams 135 which interfit with correspondingly shaped cam sockets 136 that are mounted on the tubular nozzle 117. Outwardly extending lugs 137 are provided on the central portion of the cap 134 to receive a bar (not shown) for rotating the cap 134 to move the helical cams 135 into camming engagement with the cam sockets 136.

The cap 134 is held in the closed position by an upstanding lug 138 which is provided with an aperture 139 for receiving a sealing band to be referred to hereinafter. Cooperating with the upstanding lug 138 is a catch or locking lever 140 which is pivoted at 141 between a pair of arms 142 that extend upwardly from a top wall 143 of the air and lading exhaust duct 98. The catch or loc ing lever 144 has spaced walls 144 which straddle the upstanding lug 138 as shown in Figure 2.

The catch or locking lever 140 is employed, not only for holding the cap 134 in the closed position but also it is employed for holding the closure member 111 in the closed position. For this purpose the catch or looking lever 140 has a rearward extension 145 that has an arcuate face 146 at its outer end. The arcuate face 146, as shown in Figure 2, is arranged to bear against the juxtaposed edge of the closure member 111. Registering apertures 147 are provided in the spaced walls 144, Figure 4, for also registering with the aperture 139 in the upstanding lug 138. A sealing band 148, Figure 3, extends through the registering apertures 139 and 147 and seals the catch or locking lever 14% in the locking position.

The operation of the improved hopper outlet construction is such that a car equipped with the conduit assembly 71 can be selectively unloaded either by suction or, if the suction equipment is unavailable, it can be unloaded by gravity. Gravity unloading is accomplished merely by swinging the latching dog 56 to the unlatched position and applying a torque to the operating head 54 suflicient to move the gate 27 from the closed position to an open position along the supporting rails 61 and 62..

The lading within the hopper 12 then flows downwardly by gravity past the hood shaped section 72 through the side hopper sections 87 and 88 and end hopper section 89 and through the chute like extension 33 into the removable chute as previously described.

When the car is to be unloaded pneumatically, on arrival at the destination the gate 27 remains closed. The sealing band 148 is removed and the catch or locking lever 14% is rotated to the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The closure member 111 is opened and is adjusted by the pawl 114 in the manner previously described to vary the effective area of the air intake opening 110. A suitable source of suction is connected to the tubular nozzle 117. Air then flows through the air intake opening 119 and through the air inlet duct 97, inlet opening 95 and upper conduit section 91. The air then flows downwardly through the opening 93 at the inner end of the baffie 99 and entrains lading which flows from the side hopper sections 87 and 88 and the end hopper section 89 into the lower conduit section 92 through the openings 83, 84 and 85 below the lower edges or eaves of the side walls 75 and 76 and end wall 77. The lading entrained in the air flows from the lower conduit section 92 through the exhaust opening 96 into the air and lading exhaust duct 98 and thence out of the tubular nozzle 117.

It will be understood that various types of lading can be discharged pneumatically employing the conduit assembly 71. For example, various kinds of grains, flour, cement and the like can be unloaded.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining a gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means having adjacent inlet and exhaust openings, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edge of at least one side spaced from the upper surface of said floor, a baflie in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an inlet section communicating with said inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being a passageway between said inlet and outlet sections, air intake means connected to said inlet opening, and lading and air exhaust means connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn through said air intake means and said inlet opening and lading on said one side of said hood shaped member is drawn through the space betweensaid lower edge thereof and the upper surface of said floor and is entrained thereby and carried out of said exhaust means.

2. in combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining a gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means having adjacent inlet and exhaust openings, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edge of at least one side spaced from the upper surface of said floor, a bathe in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an inlet section communicating with said inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being a passageway between said inlet and outlet sections, air intake means connected to said inlet opening, lading and air exhaust means connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn through said air intake means and said inlet opening and lading on said one side of said hood shaped member is drawn through the space between said lower edge thereof and the upper surface of said floor is entrained therebyand carried out of said exhaust means, means slidably mounting said floor on said hopper, and means for moving said floor away from closing position to permit discharge of lading by gravity past said one side of said hood shaped means through said gravity discharge opening.

3. In combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining a gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means having adjacent inlet and exhaust openings, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edges spaced from the upper surface of said floor, a baflle in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an inlet section communicating with said inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being a passa eway between said inlet and outlet sections, air intake means connected to said inlet opening, and lading and air exhaust means connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn through said air intake means and said inlet opening and lading on opposite sides of said hood shaped member is drawn through the spaces between said lower edges thereof and the upper surface of said floor and is entrained thereby and carried out of said exhaust means.

4. In combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining a gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means having adjacent inlet and exhaust openings one above the other, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edge of at least .one side spaced from the upper surface of said' floor, a horizontally extending bafiie in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an inetsection communicating with. said inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being a passageway between said inlet and outlet sections,

air intake means connected to said inlet opening, .and'

said lower edge thereof and the upper surface of said floor and is entrained thereby and carried out of said exhaust means.

In combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending Wall means defininga gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means having an inlet opening and therebelow an exhaust opening, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edges spaced from the upper surface of said floor, a baflie in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an upper inlet section communicating with said inlet opening and a lower exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being a passageway between said inlet and outlet sections, air intake means connected tosaid inlet opening, and lading and air exhaust means connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn through said air intake means and said inlet opening and lading on opposite sides of said hood shaped member is drawn through the spaces between said lower edges thereof and the upper surface of said floor and is entrained thereby and carried out of said exhaust means.

6. In combination, "a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining a gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means having adjacent inlet and exhaust openings, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edge of at least one side spaced from the upper surface of said floor, a bathe in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an inlet section communicating with said inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening. there being a passageway between said inlet and outlet.

sections, an air intake conduit connected to said inlet opening, a lading and air exhaust conduit connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air isdrawn through said air intake means and said inlet opening and lading on said one side of said hood shaped member is drawn through the space between said lower edge thereof and the upper surfaeeof said floor and is entrained thereby and carried out of said exhaust means, closure means for said air intake conduit, closure means for said lading and air exhaust con-. duh, and locking means common to both said closure means for holding the same in closed position.

7. In combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining a gravity discharge.

opening, a floor closing said opening, said wall means havingadjacent inlet and exhaust openings,.hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior-in communication with both of said openings and with thelower edges of the sides of the 'end away, from said openings spaced from the upper surface of said floorand dividing said hopper into sections at said sides and said end of said hood shapedmeans, a baffle in said hood shaped meansdividing the same into 7 an inlet section'con'imunicating' with said' inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being apassagew'ay between said inlet and outlet sections, air intake means: connected to said inlet opening, and lading and air exhaustmeans'connectedto said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn through said air intake means and said inlet opening and lading at said sides and end of said hood shaped member isdr'awn through the spaces between said lower edges thereof and the upper surface of said floor and is entrained thereby and carried out of said exhaust means.

81 In combination, a load containing hopper formed by depending wall means defining. a gravity discharge opening, a floor closing said'opening, said wall means having adjacent inlet and exhaust openings, hood'shaped neansin said hopper secured at one end to said wall means with the interior 'in communication with'b'oth of said openings and with the loweredges of the sides and of the end away from said openings spaced from the upper surface of said floor'and dividing-said hopper intosections at said sides and said end of said hood shaped means, a bafiie in said hood shaped means dividing the same into an inlet section communicating with said inlet opening and an exhaust section communicating with said exhaust opening, there being a-pas'sageway between said inlet and outlet sections, air intake means connected to said inlet opening, lading and air exhaust means connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn through said air intake means.

and said inlet opening and lading at said sides and end of said hood shapedmember is drawn through the spaces between said lower edges thereof and the upper surface of said floor and is entrainedthereby and carried out of said exhaust means, means slidably mounting said floor on said hopper, and means for moving said floor away from closing position to permit i'scharge of ladingby gravity past said sides and end of said hood shaped means through said gravity dischargeopening.

9 In combination, a load containing hopper formedby four depending walls defining a discharge opening having at least one pair of opposite waits inclined towardsaid opening, a frame surrounding said discharge opening and.

secured to said hopper walls, a floormovably mounted on said frame for closing said opening, one of said opposite walls having an inlet. opening and therebelow an exhaust opening, hood shaped means in said hopper secured at one end to saidone hopper wall with the interior in communication with both of said openings and with the lower edges of the sides and the end away from said openings spacedfrom the upper surface of said floor.

and dividing said hopper. into sections at said sides and said end. of. said hood shaped. means, a haffl'e insaid hood shaped means dividing the same into-an upper inlet section communicating with said inletv opening and a lower exhaust section communicating with said exhaust.

opening, there being a passageway between said inletand outlet sections, air intake means connected. to said inlet opening, lading and exhaust means connected to said exhaust opening whereby on application of suction to said exhaust means air is drawn throughsaid air intake means.

bygravity past said sides and end'of said hood shaped means through said discharge opening. 7

10. The invention, as set forth in claim l wherein the baffle and hood shaped means have an A-shaped cross section. 7 V e a 7 11. In combination, a load containing hopper for the downward flow of lading, an inverted generally U-shaped hood extending transversely of said hopp er and dividing the same into two hopper sections, a floor'forming the bottom of said hopper with its upper surface spaced from the lower edges of the sides of said inverted U-shaped hood thereby providing passageways through which lading can flow from said hopper sections underneath said hood, conduit means providing an inlet passageway into one end of said inverted U-shaped hood, conduit means providing an air and lading passageway from said one end of said inverted U-shaped hood, and means movably mounting said floor to allow the lading to flow downwardly by gravity from said hopper sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Callaway Apr. 6, 1909 Curtis Mar. 8, 1938 McKenna Feb. 20, 1940 Anderson Dec. 1, 1942 Hornbrook Apr. 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Feb. 16, 1940 

